Uconn

Louisville coach Rick Pitino talks to his players during a timeout in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against South Florida on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. Louisville defeated South Florida 64-38. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Not so long ago, there wasn't a legitimate reason to believe the UConn men had more than the slightest of chances to make some noise in the Big East. The Huskies slogged through eight-point victories against New Hampshire and Harvard and at times looked as if the postseason ban sapped their motivation.

Now, it appears the postseason ban is their motivation. Now, there is little reason to believe the Huskies (12-3, 2-1 Big East) can't do something in the league beyond just being there.

Saturday's 65-58 victory at No. 17 Notre Dame proved that much. It was a needed victory that began a rough three-game stretch that gets infinitely harder tonight when No. 1 Louisville (15-1, 3-0) visits the XL Center. What initially appeared to be mostly a matchup of excellent guards now looks to have the added label as being a matchup of two of the league's best teams.

Hyperbole? Possibly, but there's no arguing that UConn is already doing so much more than anybody expected. If not for a long 3-pointer by Marquette's Junior Cadougan, the Huskies could well be 3-0 in the league and few have noticed.

"No one acknowledges anybody on this team," said point guard Shabazz Napier, who was somehow left off the list of 20 finalists for the Cousy Award. "We don't feel like we get a lot of proclaim the way we should. That problem with that is you're setting up some dragons to go out there and go hard.

"Our chemistry is so good right now. We're driving off our chemistry. So far it's working well."

Louisville is rightly a big favorite tonight and might be the No. 1 team in the country by the time of the game (since both Duke and Michigan, ranked ahead of the Cardinals, lost this weekend). UConn last played a No. 1 team on Jan. 23, 2010 when it toppled Texas at Gampel Pavilion.

The Cardinals can do just about everything with guards Peyton Siva and Russ Smith and a front line duo of Gorgui Dieng and Chane Behanan. Siva took a hard fall in Saturday's victory against South Florida and might be hobbled a bit. Behanan played limited but effective minutes against the Bulls as he comes off a high ankle sprain.

Tyler Olander's sudden emergence Saturday gives the Huskies some hope against that front line. Napier and Ryan Boatright should be able to hold their own against Siva and Smith. What didn't appear all that intriguing a month ago is rife with interest tonight.

UConn has outrebounded its last two foes after winning the rebounding battle just once in the prior 13 games. The defense is steady most of the time and the shooting percentage of late has hovered near 50 percent. All of those are good signs but much will be determined based on how UConn handles Louisville's pressure defense.

DePaul runs similar pressure and UConn had no trouble with it. Louisville, of course, runs its pressure defense far better than the Blue Demons.

"We're going to have to challenge them," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said. "The key is execution. We have to be determined to win and not get flustered if we turn the ball over a couple of times. We have to play with poise and balance and encouragement and energy."

The Cardinals have been a particular problem for UConn. Louisville has won five of the last six meetings and seven of the last 10. The only time the Huskies have beaten Louisville in the last three years was in the Big East Tournament during the magical 2011 postseason run. The Huskies haven't beaten Louisville in the regular season since Feb. 2, 2009.

Jim Calhoun had trouble solving Louisville. Now, it's Ollie's turn, fresh off possibly the best-coached game of his short career.

"Kevin Ollie is about as perfect a choice for head coach as any school could have," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "He's the perfect match: extremely bright, the players are going to love playing for him, a fierce competitor. It's a tremendous marriage."

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